We heard much at the 2003 LPC Convention about how talk radio can serve as a weathervane suggesting that the political winds are blowing more and more in our direction. Conservative talk radio dominates the airwaves nationwide these days, and a healthy number of these talk radio personalities are proud to proclaim themselves as not just libertarians but Libertarians. Orange County Weekly editor Will Swaim remarked that the format of talk radio follows market forces, and it appears that conservative/libertarian voices on the airwaves are what the audience has been responding to for the last several years. Recent changes in the market suggest that this is only the beginning.
The Bay Area has been fortunate to be the home of pre-eminent Libertarian radio personality Gene Burns for over a decade on KGO-AM and prior to that on KSFO-AM. Over the past few years, we've also had card-carrying Libertarian Brian Wilson on KSFO, who unfortunately signs on the air head-to-head with Gene Burns from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm on weeknights. It's a shame these two articulate and entertaining Libertarian personalities have been programmed to compete with each other, but competition is what we want to promote, so we shouldn't cry too much.
Last January, we said good-bye to our beloved technology news oriented CNET Radio on AM 910 (now available only online at <URL: http://www.cnetradio.com/ >), which has had a format make-over as a new conservative talk radio station KNEW-AM 910 that can boast at least two daily syndicated Libertarian programs, Neal Boortz from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm, followed immediately by Larry Elder during drive-time. The re-emergence of ClearChannel Communications' KNEW also marks the return of Alex Bennett, a long-time Bay Area radio gadfly who once hosted the morning CNET program. While proudly proclaiming himself a bleeding-heart liberal to act as a balance to the conservatives with whom he shares the microphone at KNEW, Bennett frequently supports libertarian ideas, many of which he is happy to plug (drug legalization, repeal of victimless crime laws, tax reform, etc.). He's also quick to harshly criticize local politicians and other public officials who piss him off. The first day I heard him back on the air, he had an unknown dark horse candidate for Mayor of San Francisco as a guest, and invited all other candidates to join him as well. "I don't care if you're Willie Brown, Angela Alioto, Gavin Newsome, or Sister Boom Boom, all candidates are welcome to be on this program."
We in the Bay Area have an abundance of talk radio riches now, and can call in to these programs at almost any time of day to present our positions to the public in a friendly and receptive environment. Talk radio is a tremendous outlet for presenting our views to an audience that should be open to these "radical" ideas and Bay Area Libertarians should be frequent and articulate callers to these programs.
To contact Gene Burns at KGO-AM, call 1-800-808-0810 Monday through Friday from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. To call Brian Wilson at KSFO-AM, call 808-5600 (from any area code in the Bay Area) weeknights between 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm. Alex Bennett can be contacted early in the morning from 6:00 am to 9:00 am at 1-800-345-KNEW. You may call Neal Boortz in Atlanta on his syndicated program from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm Pacific Time each weekday by calling 1-877-310-2100. Larry Elder is always happy to talk to you from Los Angeles at 1-877-99-LARRY from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm every weekday.
Terry Floyd is the Treasurer of the East Bay Libertarian Party.